How to Install an Electrical Breaker Panel _ This Old House

**The Evolution of Electrical Panel Installation: From Old Methods to Modern Advancements**

In the world of electrical systems, advancements are continually being made to enhance safety, efficiency, and functionality. In this video, we take a deep dive into the evolution of electrical panel installation, comparing traditional methods with modern innovations. Our focus will be on understanding the differences between old and new techniques, particularly in the context of Massachusetts' stringent requirements for arc fault protection.

### The Old Way: Traditional Electrical Panel Installation

In the past, electrical panels relied heavily on a system that involved knockout holes on the side of the panel. These knockouts were used to install cable connectors, allowing wires to slide into the panel through these openings. Once inside, the neutral wire would connect to the neutral bar, while the hot wire would directly connect to the breaker. If additional protection was needed, such as for wet areas or basements, a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) or an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) breaker with a pigtail was used.

- **GFCI Breakers**: These were typically installed in areas prone to moisture, such as sinks, outdoor spaces, and basements. GFCI breakers are designed to prevent electrical shocks by detecting imbalances in the current.

- **AFCI Breakers**: Used in habitable spaces like living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens, AFCI breakers were introduced to address the risk of arc faults. These breakers detect dangerous arcing conditions that can lead to fires.

In both cases, the installation process involved connecting a pigtail to the neutral bar and then routing the white wire (neutral) to the breaker. This method, while effective in its time, had several drawbacks, including the need for multiple pigtails and the physical space required to accommodate them.

### The New Way: Modern Electrical Panel Advancements

Recent advancements in electrical panel technology have addressed many of the limitations of traditional methods. Here are some key improvements:

1. **Simplified Wire Entry**: Instead of relying on knockout holes and cable connectors, modern panels feature a slot at the top where wires can be slid into place. This design not only streamlines the installation process but also eliminates the need for additional connectors.

2. **Integrated Neutral Bars**: The new panels include a continuous neutral bar that runs the entire length of the panel. This innovation allows breakers to connect directly to the neutral bar without the need for pigtails. Each breaker now has built-in functionality, with one terminal serving as the hot wire and the other as the neutral.

3. **Space Efficiency**: The integration of the neutral bar significantly reduces the number of pigtails required. This is particularly beneficial in Massachusetts, where regulations mandate arc fault protection across all circuits. Without the need for multiple pigtails, installers can save valuable space within the panel.

4. **Enhanced Safety with AFCI Breakers**: Modern panels are equipped with AFCI breakers that provide built-in arc fault protection. These breakers detect dangerous arcing conditions and shut off the circuit before a fire can occur. This is especially important in Massachusetts, where strict safety standards aim to prevent potential hazards like arcs from damaged wires or overheating.

### The Importance of Arc Fault Protection

Arc faults are one of the leading causes of electrical fires in homes. They can occur due to damaged wires, such as those nicked by nails or screws, or from wires that are pinched or bent. When an arc fault occurs, conventional breakers may not always detect the problem quickly enough to prevent a fire.

For example, if you’ve ever unplugged an appliance while it was running and noticed a small spark, that’s an arc. Modern AFCI breakers can sense these dangerous conditions and trip the circuit, preventing potential disaster. Without this advanced protection, damaged wires could continue arcing unchecked, leading to uncontained electricity and the risk of fire.

### The Future of Electrical Systems

The advancements in electrical panel installation represent a significant leap forward in both safety and efficiency. By eliminating the need for multiple pigtails and simplifying wire entry, modern panels are not only easier to install but also more reliable over time. As regulations like Massachusetts’ continue to demand higher levels of protection, these innovations will play a crucial role in ensuring home safety.

### Conclusion

Our electrician, Heath, has successfully wired up the first new electrical panel using these modern techniques. While there were challenges along the way, the results are well worth the effort. The next installation is expected to go even smoother, thanks to the lessons learned and the efficiency gains offered by the latest technology.

If you’re interested in learning more about home improvement projects or want to stay updated on the latest in electrical safety, be sure to check out our channel’s other videos. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new update!

Thank you for watching!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enour electrician heath and his crew have been installing fixtures and pulling wires for weeks they all come down here to the basement heat terminate in two new electrical breaker panels they do um you're getting rid of the old kind not using it anymore why is that so on a conventional panel we've had a knockout on the side of the top that you would have knocked out they'd put a cable connector in and that's where your wire would slide in right it literally would have gone into the hole so we've got access and secure it exactly then once inside normally the neutral connects to the neutral bar and the hot wire would connect directly to the breaker and if we had to we'd use an arc fault or a gfi breaker that had a pigtail all right so we know about gfci right that's near sinks wet areas outdoors basements that kind of thing okay arc fault is a little different so arc bolt will be used in habitable spaces so your living room dining room bedrooms kitchens that's where it's required and all those breakers gfc arc fault have that pigtail i have this pigtail so what now two white wires to this neutral bar so what would happen is we'd have to take this breaker put this in install this pigtail to the neutral bar and then the white wire that would normally go here actually goes to the breaker gotcha okay so that's the old way tell me about the new way the advantage to this is first thing as far as coming into the top we don't need the connector anymore it has a slot that we can actually slide the wire into or multiple wires oh interesting put those in put a cap on and hold everything into place and that's what it looks like when it's all done but over here you get a sense of what it looks like when you just literally push it in through here and it kind of grabs it that's it okay the other advantage is this has a neutral bar that actually carries the whole way down that's picked up by the breaker we don't actually have to bring that peg tail to the neutral bar itself so you've got a neutral here a hot neutral on this side exactly and the advantage of that is this breaker has both built in now so built-in meaning one of these represents the pigtail so one would be hot that would be the neutral that would replace the pigtail and instead of tying that in you just simply click this into place oh interesting so now you're not making up 20 30 pigtails with that no and the thing is in massachusetts now we have to put arc ball protection on everything which means this panel is full of all those pigtails we're out of physical room to put these in we'd have to put 40 of these in this panel into that neutral bar a lot more wire a lot more steps a lot more space so what's so nefarious about arc faults that massachusetts is requiring every breaker to protect against them so they're trying to stop any kind of arc and making sure it stops from a fire so if you ever unplugged a vacuum cleaner when it's running i've never done it never done that and you see that little arc that's what this breaker would sense something like that if it sees that it's going to trip so if you had a wire under a rug if you had a nick and a wire and a wall someone put a screw through it or a nail that's when you're going to have the potential for seeing an ark and this would be your nick your damaged wire exactly so you could have an arc from here to here with that neck or it could actually jump across the breaker would see that arc and shut it down and keep us from having a fire but if we didn't have that breaker we would have basically uncontained electricity no insulation on the conductors they can sit there and arc and it may not trip a conventional breaker all right well you did a beautiful job putting everything together your thoughts now that you've wired up your first one i like it hopefully the next one goes faster there you go i'll leave you that because you don't need them anymore thanks eve thanks thanks for watching this whole house has got a video for just about every home improvement project so be sure to check out the others and if you like what you see click on the subscribe button make sure that you get our newest videos right in your feedour electrician heath and his crew have been installing fixtures and pulling wires for weeks they all come down here to the basement heat terminate in two new electrical breaker panels they do um you're getting rid of the old kind not using it anymore why is that so on a conventional panel we've had a knockout on the side of the top that you would have knocked out they'd put a cable connector in and that's where your wire would slide in right it literally would have gone into the hole so we've got access and secure it exactly then once inside normally the neutral connects to the neutral bar and the hot wire would connect directly to the breaker and if we had to we'd use an arc fault or a gfi breaker that had a pigtail all right so we know about gfci right that's near sinks wet areas outdoors basements that kind of thing okay arc fault is a little different so arc bolt will be used in habitable spaces so your living room dining room bedrooms kitchens that's where it's required and all those breakers gfc arc fault have that pigtail i have this pigtail so what now two white wires to this neutral bar so what would happen is we'd have to take this breaker put this in install this pigtail to the neutral bar and then the white wire that would normally go here actually goes to the breaker gotcha okay so that's the old way tell me about the new way the advantage to this is first thing as far as coming into the top we don't need the connector anymore it has a slot that we can actually slide the wire into or multiple wires oh interesting put those in put a cap on and hold everything into place and that's what it looks like when it's all done but over here you get a sense of what it looks like when you just literally push it in through here and it kind of grabs it that's it okay the other advantage is this has a neutral bar that actually carries the whole way down that's picked up by the breaker we don't actually have to bring that peg tail to the neutral bar itself so you've got a neutral here a hot neutral on this side exactly and the advantage of that is this breaker has both built in now so built-in meaning one of these represents the pigtail so one would be hot that would be the neutral that would replace the pigtail and instead of tying that in you just simply click this into place oh interesting so now you're not making up 20 30 pigtails with that no and the thing is in massachusetts now we have to put arc ball protection on everything which means this panel is full of all those pigtails we're out of physical room to put these in we'd have to put 40 of these in this panel into that neutral bar a lot more wire a lot more steps a lot more space so what's so nefarious about arc faults that massachusetts is requiring every breaker to protect against them so they're trying to stop any kind of arc and making sure it stops from a fire so if you ever unplugged a vacuum cleaner when it's running i've never done it never done that and you see that little arc that's what this breaker would sense something like that if it sees that it's going to trip so if you had a wire under a rug if you had a nick and a wire and a wall someone put a screw through it or a nail that's when you're going to have the potential for seeing an ark and this would be your nick your damaged wire exactly so you could have an arc from here to here with that neck or it could actually jump across the breaker would see that arc and shut it down and keep us from having a fire but if we didn't have that breaker we would have basically uncontained electricity no insulation on the conductors they can sit there and arc and it may not trip a conventional breaker all right well you did a beautiful job putting everything together your thoughts now that you've wired up your first one i like it hopefully the next one goes faster there you go i'll leave you that because you don't need them anymore thanks eve thanks thanks for watching this whole house has got a video for just about every home improvement project so be sure to check out the others and if you like what you see click on the subscribe button make sure that you get our newest videos right in your feed\n"